


Insecurities of Drinking

by Carerra_os



Series: Harringrove Tumblr Stories [40]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drinking, Insecure Steve Harrington, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:48:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26427394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carerra_os/pseuds/Carerra_os
Summary: Steve gets insecure when he is drinking and seeing some drunk girl kiss Billy doesn't help.-“Why don’t you and I go find some place private?” Amber asks words slurring and she smells like she has had at least as much to drink as Steve, moving closer with a laugh.“I think you need to head-” Billy’s words are cut off by Amber crashing her mouth against his, one of the girls from her group of friends giving a wolf whistle.“Stevie!” Tommy shouts as Billy is pushing her off of him and into her friends, cursing under his breath as he chases after Steve’s retreating form.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Harringrove Tumblr Stories [40]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673560
Comments: 8
Kudos: 177





	Insecurities of Drinking

**Author's Note:**

> 102 “Do you really think I could replace you?”

**Insecurities of Drinking**

They are at a frat party, Billy’s idea of a good time, and he dragged Steve out along with him. Steve has definitely had way too much, so Billy is working him toward the exit, batting away the cup he tries to grab on the way by Tommy. When a girl from his political science class comes up to them, equally drunk and crowding into Billy’s space ignoring Steve’s existence. Steve is a slippery drunk, taking the opportunity to slip over to Tommy because he refuses to admit he is drunk and that cup is full of sweet juice hiding all the liquor it contains, and Steve loves sweet things.

Billy cannot keep hold of Steve and keep Amber, Billy thinks her name is Amber, from spilling her drink all over him, as she gets handsy. “Steve get back here.” Billy grits out, hears Tommy give a laugh, catches him offering up the cup to Steve because he thinks it is funny when Billy has to wrangle him. Billy twists back toward Amber when her hands wander inappropriately close to his dick, grabbing her wrists before she can really get a feel. 

“Why don’t you and I go find some place private?” Amber asks words slurring and she smells like she has had at least as much to drink as Steve, moving closer with a laugh. 

“I think you need to head-” Billy’s words are cut off by Amber crashing her mouth against his, one of the girls from her group of friends giving a wolf whistle.

“Stevie!” Tommy shouts as Billy is pushing her off of him and into her friends, cursing under his breath as he chases after Steve’s retreating form.

“Fucking hell.” Billy curses when he knocks into Tommy as he is trying to get out the door, both of them trying to follow after Steve. “Why didn’t you stop him!” Billy hisses angry and worried.

“You’re the one that let someone else kiss you, you know how he gets when he’s drunk.” Tommy counters as they struggle to get out the door. If Steve were sober he would have laughed off some random drunk girl kissing Billy, would have told her he was taken and then offered her an escort back home or to her friends at the very least. When he has been drinking and that self-doubt has an easy in, he assumes the worst, his insecurities getting the better of him.

“Go check the library, I’m going to Robin’s.” Billy demands, not that he really has to, Tommy would go look for Steve without prompting, has more experience with picking up the pieces of Steve’s self-esteem over the years. 

Billy checks the taco truck on the way, the one that is always parked around campus around this time of night, Steve likes to eat when he is drunk and sad. They have not seen him but Tracy, a girl Billy recognizes from their dorm, saw him heading by a few minutes ago. So Billy is on the right track, he does not leave without a bag full of tacos, one of the best ways to get Steve to sit down and listen when he gets like this. 

Billy only has to knock once on Robin and Barb’s apartment door before Robin is swinging it open with a disgruntled look, glaring at Billy when she registers who is knocking on her door. “She kissed me!” Billy says immediately, Robin just rolls her eyes with exasperation and waves him in, snatching the bag of tacos from Billy.

“Some of those are for Steve.”

“Steve can have tacos when he vacates my bathroom!” Robin shouts loudly, offering Billy the bag back and he digs out the ones for him and Steve before handing back the rest to Robin. “I am taking these tacos back to the bedroom, do not fuck in our bathroom again, you assholes left a used condom on the floor last time and Barb stepped on it.” Robin says poking Billy in the chest with each word.

Billy cannot help the laugh he lets out even as Robin starts repeatedly swatting at him for it. “Alright, alright no fucking in your bathroom, got it.” Billy holds up his hands in surrender, still laughing a little as Robin heads toward her bedroom complaining under her breath about how gross they are. 

Billy drops the tacos on the little kitchen table and heads for the bathroom door knocking gently, he can hear Steve snuffling behind it. “Go away.” Steve calls his voice wet, and Billy sighs, knocking again.

“Come on pretty boy, come talk to me.” Billy gets no response “I brought tacos.” Billy calls, smiling fondly when he hears movement behind the door, before it cracks open. “Come out and talk to me, you know I didn’t want to kiss her.” 

Steve looks miserable, eyes red rimmed, fresh tears welling up at Billy's words, Billy shoves his foot in the door before he can close it again. “Hey, hey” Billy pushes his way in and gets his arms around Steve’s waist before he gets too far. “I know you know I didn’t want that, didn’t start it, the only person I ever want to kiss is you.” Billy drags Steve in close and Steve crumples into him, face going to his neck, arms around his back as he starts crying harder.

“ **Do you really think I could ever replace you** ?” Billy whispers against Steve’s hair.

“You’re just so pretty.” Steve says with a hiccup, and Billy cracks a little smile again as Steve pulls back to look at him with watery eyes. 

“Yeah I know, I’m hot stuff.” Billy tries for humor, hoping to get a smile from Steve, it has the opposite effect, Steve’s face falling with another hiccup, tears falling harder.

“No like you’re really pretty, and smart, and you’re going places, and you can do so much better than me, you should be with someone better, you deserve better.” Steve cries hiding his face back against Billy’s neck.

Billy hates it when Steve gets like this, and he should have known it was going to happen. Steve’s self-worth always takes a big hit after his parents call, and he got a D on a test a few days ago. Billy feels like a shitty boyfriend for not realizing, for convincing Steve to go to a party instead of just staying in like he had wanted to. 

He is still learning all of Steve’s triggers, and he knows Steve will fret if he ever hears of Billy blaming himself. The thing is Billy just wants to know them all, wants to anticipate them, he is really trying because Steve is always there for him. Always able to pick up when Billy is having a bad day, better at reading people than Billy will probably ever be. Just last week he calmed Billy down before the panic could even fully set in, Billy did not realize what was happening until it was already gone. Billy hopes to one day be as intuitive to Steve in return.

Billy's throat is tight as he speaks “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, no one else compares. You’re the one that can do better bambi, but I’m much too selfish to let you go now that I have you.” He honestly does not know where he would be if Steve had not been his roommate, had not stubbornly taken care of Billy when he was at his absolute worst.

"Come eat your tacos for me baby, got ‘em just the way you like." Billy starts shuffling them out of the bathroom, Steve still crying into his neck but it is starting to taper off. 

"No lettuce?" Steve asks with a hiccup, lips brushing Billy's skin as he speaks.

"No filler on your tacos, I know what you like. Extra pico too." Billy pulls a chair out and sits down dragging Steve into his lap, Steve's long legs going to either side of his thighs as they remain chest to chest. "I wish you could feel how much I love you walnut." Billy says against Steve's hair angling his face lower so he can press his nose against Steve's cheek when he gives a shuddering gasp of a breath as he tries to calm down.

"I, I know you love me." Steve shudders out hands clenching in the back of Billy's shirt. "Sometimes it's just hard to believe." Billy soothes his hands down Steve's back.

"I'll tell you every day ‘till you believe it and every day after." Billy promises getting a gentle hand on Steve's chin tilting his head up until their eyes meet.

"I love you too, so much. Some, sometimes, I just-" Billy shushes him as the tears start falling again.

"I know pretty boy, love you too." Billy leans in that last little bit and catches Steve's lips. Steve tastes like over sweet juice and the salt of tears on Billy's tongue. 

"If you fuck in our kitchen I'm going to help Robin murder the two of you." Barb says shuffling by them toward the fridge, they break apart abruptly, Steve giving a wet laugh against Billy's cheek. Billy lets his arms curl tighter around Steve's waist, happy he is sliding into a better head space at least for now. Billy will be right there in the morning when those doubts inevitably try to come back with Steve's hangover.

**-end**

**Author's Note:**

> https://ghostofjellyfishforgotten.tumblr.com/


End file.
